


land of ice and snow

by mothicalcreatures



Series: your sincerely attached friend [3]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Can be read as a stand alone, Fluff, Internal Monologue, M/M, Recovery, Snow and Ice, but it is there, only really like vaguely ship related, the terror decameron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23261476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothicalcreatures/pseuds/mothicalcreatures
Summary: It was James’ first winter back in England and the first major snowfall of the season had occurred just a few days ago, sweeping in and covering everything with a thick blanket of white.
Relationships: Commander James Fitzjames/Edward Philips Charlewood
Series: your sincerely attached friend [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559914
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11
Collections: the terror decameron





	land of ice and snow

**Author's Note:**

> Written for The Terror Decameron day two prompt: icemelt 
> 
> I was going to try to do the prompts in order, but then I had an idea for day two before day one. 
> 
> This is technically part of my existing Fitzwood series, but it can be read as a standalone.

James watched as the beads of water slowly dripped down from the icicles that hung at the roof’s edge. He was warm inside, seated comfortably by the fire, but he found himself more drawn to watching the ice slowly melt in the winter sun than to anything else. The book William had sent him rested in his lap, unopened, and he found he didn’t have it in him to speak up to engage his dear Edward in conversation, even though the man sat mere feet away at a small table, scratching away at some letters. Intent in his own work, Edward didn’t seem aware of James’ fixation on the white blanketed world outside the window.

It was James’ first winter back in England and the first major snowfall of the season had occurred just a few days ago, sweeping in and covering everything with a thick blanket of white. The sight of it had, at first, left James feeling quite ill, but the more he’d looked the more different it became from the white wastes of the Arctic. There were trees and people moving about, the front walk was shoveled and arguments were had among the children about who would build the better snowman.

When Edward had relented to his children’s clamor to play outside, James had offered to join them. He needed to know what being out in this snow would be like; needed the reassurance that he wouldn’t fall apart from stepping outside in this weather.

Edward had fretted, as he had done ever since James had appeared on his doorstep, gaunt and missing an arm, but James had promised not to over tax himself and that he would let Edward know if he became too cold.

While the cold had certainly left his joints feeling quite stiff after so long, he had hardly been _too_ cold. The sun had been warm, much as it was now, and the snow had already begun melting, making it wet and perfect for snowballs and snowmen. James had ached horribly by the time they returned indoors, but it had been pleasant and well worth it, he thought.

The snow and ice melting in the sun and then freezing over night again were what created those icicles in the first place. After years of seeing the ice build and build in the Arctic, without the slightest sign of thaw, there was comfort in being able to watch the ice melt now.

“Is everything all right James?”

James turned from the window to find Edward watching him, brow furrowed in concern.

“Yes,” James replied. “I was just watching the ice melt.”


End file.
